Is it legal for car dealers to open on Sunday?

When was the last time you saw a car dealer open on a Sunday? Short of a ‘once in a lifetime sale’ event, the bright lights and waving balloon men tend to take the day off, which begs the question: are car dealers even allowed to open on a Sunday?

The answer depends largely on where you live and poses another quandary: do they even want to?

Car dealers in NSW, ACT, Tasmania and Victoria are permitted to operate on a Sunday, whereas those in Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia must remain closed due to the respective state trading laws considering them ‘non-exempt’ shops.

In states where it is legal to open, why are most dealers closed? Basically, because they want to be.

The cost of operating the dealership site, from utilities to staffing, can be significant. Depending on how staff are employed, they may be eligible for penalty rates which can be up to 200 per cent of their regular wages.

The industry isn’t all that keen on it either.

In a story reported by Drive a few years ago, the MTA (Motor Traders Association) was actively trying to roll back Sunday trading in NSW, to make a standard six-day week more fairly aligned for all traders.

Additionally, based on data compiled by Drive, opening on a Sunday may not even sell that many more new cars. The ratio of new car sales to population in states where seven-day vehicle trading was permitted was no different to states where it wasn’t.

Yes, peer-to-peer car transactions can take place on a Sunday, irrespective of your location.

If you do feel like heading out and kicking some tyres on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you are in a state where it is permitted, you’ll have a number of options available.

Many new concept stores where automotive brands have a retail presence at a major shopping centre, like Polestar in Chadstone near Melbourne, will operate on a Sunday.

Some smaller dealers, often owner-operated, and wholesale locations in eligible states are also open on a Sunday.

There are also some large metropolitan dealers, like Parramatta Toyota and Ryde Kia in Sydney and Lakeside Hyundai in Melbourne, that operate seven days a week. That said, we recommend you do a quick online search from the couch before you head out to avoid disappointment.

Perhaps it is a sign, though, and Sundays are best spent washing and then driving the car, rather than buying one.

With over 20 years of experience in digital publishing, James Ward has worked within the automotive landscape since 2007 and brings experience from the publishing, manufacturer and lifestyle side of the industry together to spearhead Drive's multi-media content direction.

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